1. KEY
Raising and selling
livestock is the sole
income source for
many rural African
families. As
resources grow
increasingly scarce
in arid northern
Kenya, life for
pastoralist commu-
nities becomes
more difficult.
Market access in
remote northern
Kenya is limited.
Herders have no
choice but to sell
livestock to
middlemen who
pay low prices,
keeping most of
the profit for
themselves.
A formal alliance
where neighboring
communities
organize and
agree to work
peacefully together
to sustainably
manage the lands,
waters and wildlife
they share.
The Northern
Rangelands Trust
(NRT) is a Kenyan
NGO that builds
resilient commu-
nities by providing
tools and resources
that strengthen local
governments,
security, livelihoods
and natural resources
management.
NRT-Trading (NRT-T)
is a for-profit
spin-off of NRT. It
helps Community
Conservancies grow
revenue-generating
enterprises to
increase household
income and fund
community
development and
conservation efforts.
The Nature
Conservancy (TNC)
is a global
conservation NGO.
It provides scientific,
business and
financial expertise
to increase the
environmental and
social impact of
programs like NRT’s
Livestock Program.
A TNC program,
NatureVest
identifies and
evaluates programs
like NRT’s Livestock
program, where its
impact investment
funding would
allow such projects
to scale up for
maximum environ-
mental and social
benefits.
Capital from impact
investors allows
projects with high
potential impact to
grow to a scale that
maximizes their social
and environmental
benefits. At scale, these
projects can generate
revenues to repay
investors, sometimes
with a profit.
Community
Conservancy
1.25m acres 4m/yr. 46,000 people10,000/yr.
760k acres 1m/yr. 14,000 people1,000/yr.
Sustainable Grasslands Income BeneficiariesCattle
Tomorrow: Livestock Program plus investor capital
Today: Livestock Program with grant capital only
Community
Conservancy
Community
Conservancy
With
Livestock
Program and
Only Grant
Capital
Without
Northern
Rangelands
Trust’s Livestock
Program
Communities do not have
the resources to sustainably
manage their grasslands –
as a result the grasslands
that livestock and wildlife
depend on for food are
degrading and disappearing.
Herders travel a long and stressful trek –
causing further undernourishment of
their livestock along the way.
Middlemen
pay herders
low prices for
low-grade
livestock.
NRT-T provides quarantine,
fattening and processing
services, adding value that yields
higher prices at market.
Communities that meet NRT’s stringent
grazing, security and management standards
earn access to NRT-T’s fair, local market.
With the communities managing
their rangelands sustainably, a
healthier environment is created
for people, livestock and wildlife.
Community Conservancies receive a
levy for each cow purchased and an
elected conservancy board
determines how those funds are
reinvested into schools, security,
water pumps and health care.
As rangelands improve,
wildlife populations
increase, which attracts
tourists. This in turn,
allows communities to
diversify their income
streams by creating
ecotourism businesses.
TOMORROW
YESTERDAY
Scaling up for Impact
TODAY
A recent $7M impact investment to the NRT livestock
program in Kenya will allow it to operate at a scale that
maximizes its environmental and social impact.
NRT shares new tools
and guidance that
help communities
better manage
rangelands and
livestock grazing
practices.
Investing in Conservation and Communities
How Impact Investment Generates Benefits for People and Nature in Kenya